Combined die-box and check-box



No. 626,278. Patented June 6, I899.

J. T. HICKS. COMBINED DIE BOX AND CHECK BOX.

(Application filed Feb. 1, 1899.)

Q MINT Ms PETER! ca. rnurouma, ww-ms'ron. o. c.

Nrrn STATES ATENT FFICE.

JOHN T. HICKS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED DIE-BOX AND CHECK-BOX.

To all whmn it utay concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. HICKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Mechanism for a Combined Die-Box and Check-Box; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention refers to a locking mechanism for the door of a check-containing box, the lid of a die-receiving box, and the combina tion of the said two boxes, the object of the invention being to provide efficient and easily-concealed means for effecting the closures and combinations mentioned; and it consequently consists, essentially, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a die-box and a cl1eck-box provided with my improved triple-locking mechanism. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross-section.

Like numerals of reference denote like parts in allthe different figures of the drawings.

1 designates the main body of a box designed to contain checks, slips, or blanks, such as are commonly used by waiters in hotels or restaurants for the notation of purchases by guests, and intended more especially to receive and hold the checks employed in that checking system known as the Hicks system and conducted in accordance with Letters Patent granted to me June 20, 1893, said box having transverse pockets formed by divisions or partitions 5 and an inclined interior bottom 6,the front exterior face of the box being likewise inclined, as shown at 2A1. The front ends of the partitions 5 stop a little short of the front face 24, leavingsufficient room at this point to accommodate the fiat cover 4, which fits into the rectangular opening in the front face 2 1 in such a manner as to lie flush with said face. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) The object of the inclined bottom 6 is to e11- able the checks to be more securely held within the compartments that contain them and Patent No. 626,278, dated. June 6, 1899.

Serial No. 704,160. (No model.)

prevent them from slipping out. On the top of the check-box 1 is a flange 2, running around three edges of said top, and thus inclosing on three sides the [lat seat 3, which is adapted to hold the body 8 of the die-box. This die-box consists of body 8 and cover 9, fitting thereover, but readily removable therefrom. Within the box is a reversible cellframe 10, containing the dies 11 and an inking-pad 12, on which the marking-faces of the dies rest.

On the front edge of die-box cover 9 is a horizontal staple 1S and on the rear edge a similar staple 17. These are to be engaged by parts of the locking mechanism. At the front'of the check and die boxes is a depending metal strip 13, having at its upper end a hook 15, engaging the staple 18. At the rear of the boxes is a similar metal strip or bar 14, having at its upper end a hook 16, engaging the staple 17.

The central partition 5 of the check-box 1 is bored with a horizontal passage 23, de-

signed to receive the bolt 19, which is provided on its forward end with a head 22, inclined, as shown, to correspond with the bevel of cover 4, and is slotted at the rear end at 20. The strips or bars 13 and let are provided with holes or perforations that are in horizontal alinement with each other and also with the passage 23 when said strips are in the effective position shown in Fig. 3, so that the bolt 19 can be passed through the perforation in bar 13, the passage 23, and the perforation in bar 14, and after this has been done the slot 20 in the part of bolt 19 projecting behind the check-box is engaged by a padlock 21 or other securing device, and thus the parts are all fastened firmly together.

Thus it Will be seen that by means of the various mechanical parts constituting the locking mechanism just described I am enabled to fasten the die-box cover to the diebox, to fasten the check-box cover to the check-box, and to fasten the two boxes firmly together, so that one box cannot be separated from the other and neither box can be entered without unlocking. The boxes are easily unter this is done and the cover 4 has been taken off the check-box the bolt 19 may be reinserted in the passage 23, the cover 4 suspended on the rear end of bolt 19, and the lock'2l again caused to engage slot 20; also, While the boxes are in use the strips or plates 13 and 14 and .box 8 may be placed thereon reversed and Within the corners 25. In this position the cover 9 is placed over the box 8.

What I claim is- 1. The herein-described locking mechanism for check-containin g boxes which consists in the combination with a partitioned box having an inclined removable cover set into the front thereof and covering the checkbox openings, of a horizontal rod passing through a central perforation in said cover, and a registering tubular passage through the body of the boX, said rod having on its outer front end a head which rests against the front face of the cover, a lock for engaging the rear slotted end of the rod, all the parts being so arranged that when the cover is removed from its front position it may be suspended on the rear projecting end of the rod,'substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the check-box having a flanged top to provide a seat for the dieboX, and having likewise a flush-set front removable cover for closing the cells of said check-box, a horizontal rod passing through a perforation in the cover and likewise through the body of the check-box and provided on its rear end with a retaining-padlock, a die-box having front and rear staples on the cover thereof, a depending front metal strip having at its upper end a hook engaging one of the said staples, a depending rear metal strip having at its upper end a hook engaging with the other of said staples, said depending strips being perforated near their lower ends in order that the aforesaid horizontal rod may pass through the perforations, all the parts being so arranged that the cover of the die-box may be locked thereon, the cover of the check-box may be locked thereon, and the two boxes may be locked together, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the check-box having a flange thereon to provide a seat for the (lie-box, and having likewise a removable cover,a horizontal headed rod passing through a perforation in the cover and likewise through the body of the check-box, a padlock applied to the rear end ofsaid rod, a die-box mounted upon the check-box and having a.

removable cover .provided with staples, the front and rear metallic strips or plates that engage the staples and are perforated near their lower ends, said perforations being in line with the cover perforation and check-box perforation so that the aforesaid horizontal rod may pass through all of them, all arranged so that the said strips or plates, the check-box cover, the check-box, and the (liebox, may be locked together, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. HICKS.

Witnesses:

FRED E. TASKER, J. R. BUOKELEW. 

